The Mormons were having a Nativity display at their church so we figured it would be a good place to share the gospel. Peters witnessed to a girl and got into a deep conversation about the gospel and the girl was questioning all kinds of things about her beliefs but the Mormons found out what we were all about and pulled the girl away from Peters. I was witnessing to an older couple. They were nice but hardened. He said you just have to keep the commandments to be in heaven. So of course we went through them and he said he broke them all. I explained the gospel but he wanted off the subject and started telling me a story about his great grandfather in Russia. While we were talking they introduced me to a lady who was a host and left, so I started sharing the gospel with her. She named 5 things you had to do to get to heaven. I questioned her about her beliefs and explained the gospel. She couldn't really answer the question and was confused. She just knew what she was supposed to believe but couldn't tell me why. She asked me what me and my friends were doing here. I told her we came to share the gospel of Jesus Christ. She asked me why we would do that. I said because Jesus told us to in Scripture, to go into all the world and preach the gospel. She swore she was a Christian and the LDS was another branch of Christianity. I explained a few differences and gave her a tract, which she had a hard time taking. I told her to compare everything that I or her teachers tell her to the Bible to see if it is true. The Mormons, seeing what we were here for, told us about the refreshment room. I told them that refreshments sounded good and that there was nothing better on a cold day than a good cup of coffee. (Mormons can't drink coffee). The old man gave me a talk on how coffee is bad, even decaf. I told him that he was missing out. Yoshi witnessed to a few people and then met an older man. The man, when introducing himself said, "We fought some of you guys in Japan" (Yoshi is Japanese). What a weird thing to say. Yoshi responded by saying, "so you are the one who shot my grandpa." It was a good joke. There wasn't a lot more people to witness to so we left.
We moved over to the Civic center in Helena to the Festival of Trees. We got there in between the tree showing and big dance that cost $25 to get in. I did witness to a couple kids there. They were lost and had not concept of getting to heaven. I don't think they ever thought about it. The girl did say she was good but after the Law she seen she wasn't. Their mom came in the middle so I left them with a tract. We were not going to pay $100 to get in so we decided to go to the mall. I told the boys that unless God gives us $100 on the street we won't go, but if we did find $100 it was a good sign God wants us there.
We moved over to the mall and I witnessed to a kid with giant earrings that make his ear lobe hole giant. The ring was huge! You could fit a nickle through it. That is what I used to start the conversation.
We talked about his earrings and tattoos and then I swung to spiritual things. He didn't believe in God and thought he would be worm food when he died. We talked about where his conscience came from and went through the Law. He was guilty but still proclaimed his own righteousness. He thought God would see him as a great person. We talked about his logic. He said whatever a person believes is true, typical new age. He also said he was the one that determined right and wrong. I asked him if that goes for me too. He said yes. So I said that it is right for me to stab him with a knife and then asked him if I was right. He said no and then stumbled around for an answer but couldn't come up with one. He questioned the Bible and had objections about tattoos, piercings, homosexuals and all the usuals. I avoided them all and stuck to the gospel. He got fired up at the end and said he didn't believe in the Bible and never would and he didn't like me telling him about it. He started shaking and getting ready to blow his top and hit me. Peters was ready to jump in and besides it didn't look like he could hit to hard anyway. I settled him down and told him the good news of Jesus Christ. He asked me why I was her doing this. I explained our motives that it would be easier to stay home and watch TV but I didn't want him to be in Hell and if he didn't hear the gospel he couldn't be saved. I explained the cross and the most loving gift of God through Christ. He mocked it and left.
We moved down the mall and seen a guy we know named Roger. Out of the blue he said he had 6 tickets to the Festival of Trees dance and asked if we wanted them. This was the clear sign from God that He wanted us there. God never gave us a $100 bill on the street but instead gave us $150 in tickets to get in. It was a miracle. We went and ate dinner and were back at the Civic center at 7:00pm. We gave out tracts as people walked in the doors and gave out our two extra tickets with tracts to a couple. There were a lot of people there, maybe 500. The fields were ripe for the harvest and we had four laborers.
I shared the gospel with a group of caterers who were loitering around. One was nothing, one was Catholic and another Protestant. I started in on the law and the Agnostic left and a lady came and whispered something in the protestant girls ear and she left also. The Catholic guy stayed. We went through the law and gospel. He was not too convicted and had all the usual Catholic responses. Seed was planted. I witnessed to a couple that were the security for the place. They were both Catholic and lost. I asked them how many brands of beer they could name. They had no problem and I stopped them at 10. I then asked them how many commandments they could name. They struggled to get 2 out. I asked them if they were concerned that they know more about beer than the commandments they will be judged by. They said it never concerned them. We went through the law and justice, Heaven or Hell. They admitted Hell after a while but were hardened and not convicted.I found a couple sitting down away from the crowd and started a magic trick for them. Another couple came to sit down at the same time so I asked them to join in the trick. They all like the trick and then I went into witnessing. We went through the law and gospel. They were actually all Lutheran except the Asian girl was a Christian, she said. As I explained the law I seen the Holy Spirit convicting them all very seriously. They knew that if they walked out of the dance tonight without Christ they would be in Hell. I explained the Cross and the gift of God in Jesus Christ and how he bore the wrath of God in their place. It made sense to them and one of the men started deeply thinking and gave an illustration of something a pastor told him once about switching places with Jesus. I left them with an urgency to repent and believe the Gospel.
Peters managed to open his mouth big enough to fit his foot in it. A saw a girl he had been witnessing to at the bank. She came up to him and asked him what he was doing here and Peters said he was sharing the gospel. Peters then asked her a question he did regret. He meant to say, "Do you want to be my guinea pig?" Which is a weird thing to say as it is but he knew the girl already. It never came out like that though, he said, "Do you want to be my pig?" She was shocked and Peters, realizing what he said, almost fell out of his chair. He apologized profusely.
The band started and it got loud and was hard to witness so we were ready to get out of there. I witnessed to two "cowboys", or so they claimed. They were ignorant. I did a magic trick and then asked them what would happen when they die. They didn't know or care. I took them through the law and were almost bragging about breaking the law, especially about lusting. They didn't like that I was asking them questions. They asked me why I was asking them these questions and what I was doing here. I told them I was here to share the gospel. They asked me why I would ever want to do that. I explained our motives. They were hardened. I shared the cross to them and it seemed to make sense and I left them more sober. They were mocking and getting fired up at first but when I left they were thinking for a time anyway. Seeds planted.
Yoshi got into a good conversation with a guy who just got out of jail yesterday. He was emotional and as Yoshi explained the gospel the guy was coming to tears but did not repent at that time.
Praise God! What a great night of sharing the Gospel. We saw God provide us with tickets and put us in the path of many people who needed Jesus Christ.
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